Collapsible paperboard carrier



Aug. 24, 1954 F. A. CHIDSEY, JR

COLLAPSIBLE PAPERBOARD CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 14. 1950 Aug. 24, 1954 F. A. CHIDSEY, JR

COLLAPSIBLE PAPERBOARD CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14. 1950 1954 F. A. CHIDSEY, JR

COLLAPSIBLE PAPERBOARD CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov 14. 1950 ll- ,Ezgazaar jm/ww a. cmda Jn 4 r 152 W 0 Patented Aug. 24, 1954 COLLAPSI-BLE .PAPERBOABD IGARRIER Francis A. Cliidsey; Jr., Ith'an; Pat, assignor" to? Container Corporation. of America; (illicit-go:- Illiiiaicorporation-of Delaware Application Novemberv 14, 1950,,Serial No. 1955582 4Claims.= (Cl. 229-41) The present invention relates to a one-piece collapsible paperboardcarrir-ior cans-or the like and -is particularly connern'ed with a carrier ofthis' type' havingan integral h'andle 'tliatiis set upautomaticallvwhen the: carrier is-folded' from collapsed condition to the -set up form imiwhicli it serves asiaxcarrierzi.

It "is: :an' object cofrthis zinventioncitoi provider. a. simple inexpensive rectangular "blank :th'at mayv beglued: or.- stapleds; into: open-ended; collapsed tubular form'- and. mam-be shipped. and: stored in. flatconditiomand then easil-yzand: quicklygconverted. into :set-fup;formsby. merely; folding: portiQIlSzOf' thedolankifl Another-object is -.to provide an integral handle structure ;that,..is-set-up-, auto.- matically when-the carrier. is :folded- .from. flat to set-up form.

Other. and further. objects.- and. advantages of theinvention willhecome apparent. upon readingv the followingdescription, takenin conjunction with the. accompanying. drawing showing. two preferred illustrative, embodiments of the invention,..in which:

Fig. 1 is a'perspective'view of a carrier embodyingth'e present invention;

2 is a side :elevational view showing one end" wall of "the carrier 'in' partially folded; posi= tion'andthe-other endwall before the start'of' the foldingm-ovement;

Fig. 3is"a"plan"view of the 'carrier'in' the fiat" shipping position Figs i is-a plan-view-of the blank iromwhichthecarrier is made:

Fig. 5 is aperspective View of a slightlydiffe'b ent embodiment "of the -invention," showing" the" carrier inflatshipping position;

Fig. dis a cross sectional viewgtak emalong th'e' Rig. '7 .is a perspective view: of'the embodiment ofiFi'g'; .5 partialiyropen: position; and

Fig.7 8 :issa tops elevational :view of" the carrier in-the partially :open position of Fig. '7'.

panels 3 and i," respectively; A 'fold-line 1, par-' allelto fold"1ines-5 and fi; extends transversely between-sidewall panel tiand a bottomiwallpane'l 82" Another transverse foldlineS extends be tween side Wall "panel 4 "andglue. flapf H);

A handle H isdefined'b'y'cut lines I2fand .I'3I which extend through top panel '2 land through.

the upper portion of each side wall panel... The

7 outlines" I2 and" I3-' are? substantially" parallel through the top' panel, but diverge towards the mid section of each'side wall panel; as indicated at [4' and 15; so that the handle will'be wider:

- at its'basethanat its center portion. 'Ihe-cut lines I 2 and l 3*di-vide' the top panel" time three separated transverse sectionsm, 2b} and za an'd" also dividethe upper portions of side wallp'anels 3 and: i-, respectively; into sections '3ag 3b, 3c; and: dagflbi andec."

The"sidewall paneli is provided with a' pair of intermediate-fold lines sand I 1; eachextendingparallel itol fold lines: '5 6; ?1 'and Strand:- in: line with the other'orthe 'pair 'fromrlon'e edge of the sidewallvto: WhiGh:it'iS perpendicular; Similar intermediate: fold :;lines I stand: I 9 :are tormed in side wall panel 4: Theilower-portionrof sidewall panel-l 3 is pl0ViC1'diWithla-f triangular edge: portiorr" zflrdefined by; fold-i line Hi and diagonal fold line 21 extending from-the-intersection of foldlinev-lfi-iwith thecut line vI I-rat the-Jzvaseof the handle to ther-closest bottom outer r edge oftheside wall panel.

Wall panel ,4-2.I1d, idefinedwby fold line I 8. and a diagonal. fold .line..23... The-sections. 2a, 3a, and. to. are completely, separated. from.. the .other sections' ofthetoppanehand the upper-portionsofthe-side.wallpanels. -Th'ey..function as an end wall .unit. in..the.set-.up;carrier, and.constitute. an

integral extension extending .from [the triangular edgeportion 20 to the triangular edge portion 22 The side Wall 1panel13is' provided with another the-inner edge of fold line ['9 to the-closest outer bottomedge ofside wail panel d The sections 2e; 3'0; and 4tz als'oiunctiorr as an endwall unit in the set-up carrier, and constituteanintegral extension: extending from: the- 7 triangular: edge portion 24 toutheitriangular edg portionz-26ji The: Mania: from: which-r: thencarrier-ris made is.

- folded-.ralon g:theaparallel-:foldwlines; .5, B, J, andz-9, the-ends ?being :carriedv back and :undenthecenter parts? viewingyzfli-g. andogiuexflap 1'! ii fist-adhered. tosbottomwwall (panel Alston-form :an. open-ended; The tubulanmemben'is fiat-.- ..-tened into. the form;shown.inslilig -.3:a1ong;,fold.

tubular. member.

base of thehandlestothe .closestoutnedgezofthe A similar triangular edge portion-22 .is' formed :in the lower; portion. of sidelines 6 and I and is shipped to the retailer in this condition.

Both ends of the carrier are formed in exactly the same manner, so the folding movement will be described only in connection with the end wall unit comprising sections 2a, 3a, and 4a. When the retailer wants to set up a carrier he expands it from the flattened condition in which it was received by him into tubular form, and pulls downwardly and outwardly on outer top panel sections 2a and 20. This folds the end wall unit comprising sections 2a., 3a and 4a inwardly about diagonal fold lines H and 23 and simultaneously outwardly about horizontal fold lines [6 and I8 which assume a vertical position during the folding movement because of the inward movement of triangular edge portions 20 and 22 about the diagonal fold lines 2| and 23.

When the folding movement progresses through a 90 angle the top panel section 2a is in vertical position with its outer edge 28 adjacent the outer edge 29 of bottom wall 8. The sections 3a and 4a are each horizontally disposed with their outer edges 30 and 3I positioned parallel to and adjacent the fold lines I and 9, respectively. The triangular edge portion 26 is positioned between the side wall 32 and the section 3a. The section 3a extends past the diagonal fold line 2I which defines the outer edge of the side wall 32 and serves as a side wall between the diagonal fold line 2| and the edge of top panel section 2a which serves as an end wall for the carrier. Similarly, the triangular edge portion 22 is positioned between the side wall 33 and the section 4c and the section 4c serves as a side wall extending from diagonal fold lines 23 to the edge 6 of top panel section 2a.

The handle sections 311 and 4b are not crossed by any fold lines so that they project upwardly from the upper edges of side walls 32 and 33, respectively, when the carrier is set up. The upper edges of sections 3b and 4b are connected by the integral section 2b. These sections are not moved during the folding of the end wall units, and, accordingly, remain upstanding to serve as an integral handle for the carrier.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 differs structurally from the embodiment previously described in only one particular, but the single structural difference is importantbecause it simplifies the setting up operation, making the conversion of the carrier from the flat shipping position to the carrying position both easier and faster than with the embodiment previously described. The structure difference between the two embodiments comprises the replacement of fold lines I6 and IT with a fold line 34 extending across the entire width of the carrier, and the replacement of fold lines I8 and I9 with a fold line 35 similar to 34. In Figs. 5 to 8, the reference numerals designating the same structure as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are the same as the reference numerals used in Figs. 1 to 4, except that 100 has been added to each reference numeral.

The fold lines 34 and 35 enable the carrier to be folded into flat shipping condition as shown in Fig. 5 instead of being folded as shown in Fig. 3. It is not necessary to expand the carrier from the flat position of Fig. 5 into tubular form and then fold each and separately. Both end flaps I02a and I020 are grasped and their inner edges are simultaneously moved outwardly and upwardly along the diagonal fold lines I2l, E25,

I23 and I27. This single operation is all that is required, and the carrier practically snaps into carrying position.

While the present description sets forth two preferred embodiments of the invention, certain changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative, and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An open-ended tubular structure capable of being folded to provide an open top carrier for cans, said structure comprising a single blank of paperboard folded at right angles along four parallel lines to provide a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of opposed side wall panels, a pair of spaced transverse cut lines extending completely across the top panel and continued through the upper portion of each side wall, each side wall having a pair of fold lines intermediate its height and parallel to the fold lines defining its upper and lower edges, said intermediate fold lines extending in opposite directions each from one end of one of the cut lines to the adjacent outer end edge of the side wall, and another pair of fold lines each extending diagonally downwardly from the end of each of the cut lines to the adjacent lower corner of the side wall, whereby each side wall maybe folded about both of its intermediate fold lines and both of its diagonal fold lines simultaneously to swing the outer portions of the top panel outwardly and downwardly through a angle to form oppositely disposed end walls for the carrier, the portions of each side wall and the top panel positioned between the cut lines remaining in place to serve as an integral handle for the carrier.

2. An open-ended tubular structure capable of being folded to provide an open top carrier for cans, said structure comprising a single blank of paperboard folded at right angles along four par allel lines to provide a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of opposed side wall panels, a pair of spaced transverse cut lines extending completely across the top panel and continued through the upper portion of each side wall, the cut lines being substantially parallel through the top panel and diverging from the upper edge of the side walls towards the mid-section thereof, each side wall having a pair of fold lines intermediate its height and parallel to the fold lines defining its upper and lower edges, said intermediate fold lines extending in opposite directions from one end of one of the cut lines to the adjacent outer end edge of the side wall, and another pair of fold lines each extending diagonally downwardly from the end of each of the cut lines to the adjacent lower corner of the side wall, whereby each side wall may be folded about both of its intermediate fold lines and both of its diagonal fold lines simultaneously to swing 3. An open-ended tubular structure capable -of cans, said structure comprising a single blank of paperboard folded at right angles along four parallel lines to provide a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of opposed side wall panels, a pair of spaced transverse 'cut lines extending completely across the top panel and equally spaced from the central transverse plane of the tubular structure and on opposite sides of the latter, said out lines being continued downwardly through the upper portion of each side wall, each side wall having a pair of fold lines interemdiate its height and parallel to its upper and lower edges, said pair of fold lines extending in opposite directions each from the lower end of one of the cut lines to the outer adjacent end edge of the side wall, and a second pair of fold lines extending diagonally downwardly from the end of each of the cut lines tothe adjacent lower corner of the side wall panel, said side walls each being foldable about said diagonal fold lines simultaneously to swing the outer portions of the top panel outwardly and downwardly through a 90 angle to form opposed end walls in the set up carrier.

4. An elongated paperboard blank foldable into the form of an open-top carrier for cans or the like, said blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of the paperboard material scored transversely of its length along four spaced lines to provide a bottom wall panel, a -first side wall and handle forming panel, an end wall and handle forming pan-e1, a second side wall and handle forming panel, and a glue flap panel, sequentially in the order named, a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending cut lines projecting completely across said end wall andhandle forming panel and continued at its ends in opposite directions into the adjacent first and second side wall and handle forming panels and projecting approximately half way thereacross, a fold line extending from the end of each cut line diagonally outwardly to the edge of the blank and intersecting said edge at its juncture with the outer edge of one of said side wall and handle forming panels, and a fold line extending transversely of the blank from the end of each out line to the edge of the blank, adjacent fold lines defining thercbetween a series of triangular sections foldable into face-to-face contact with the side wall and handle forming panel in which they are located when the blank is folded to produce the set up carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name a Date 1,527,399 Davidson Feb. 24, 1925 1,942,771 Phillips Jan. 9, 1934 2,351,528 Lupton June 13, 1944 2,352,123 Ringler June 20, 1944 2,359,298 B'rogden Oct. 3, 1944 2,383,183 Fischer Aug. 21, 1945 2,406,711 Ringler Aug. 27, 1946 2,605,034 Williamson July 29, 1952' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 439,625 Great Britain Dec. 10, 1935 

